“Introduction. “

Source: (1996) In Restorative justice: International perspectives, ed. Burt Galaway and Joe Hudson, 1-14. With an introduction by Joe Hudson and Burt Galaway. Monsey, New York: Criminal Justice Press.

In their introduction to this book, Hudson and Galaway remark that restorative justice is often associated with victim-offender reconciliation programs. With this in mind, their introduction concentrates on restorative justice in terms of victim-offender reconciliation or mediation. They refer to certain historical and statistical aspects of such programs. They identify key elements of restorative justice theory and practice. They discuss restorative justice process in terms of victim-offender mediation: pre-mediation phase; mediation phase; and follow-up phase and outcomes. Additionally, Hudson and Galaway summarize significant issues in restorative justice practices: the extent to which such practices can be incorporated into existing criminal justice systems; the spread of social control; questions of fairness in the operation of restorative justice programs; and public support for restorative justice.